is this even possible?? Dh took the kids to a hockey game (at the local arena) last night and a girl gave ds a hug. Dd informed dad that ds needed his inhaler right after. She had just finished/stil eating a Crispy Crunch bar. Is it even possible for this to start because of him breathing it in? I was told that there are no "inhalation" reactions but I can recall many posts about this very thing happening.

Ds got his inhaler, his breathing resumed to normal but his voice was still very raspy. When they all got home I gave him some benedryl and watched for a few hours before putting him to bed.

Anaphylaxis Canada says it doesn't happen. Some doctors do recognize these reactions but most will say they are likely psychosomatic. There was a study done which concludes that it is unlikely for people to react to the smell of peanut butter.

My sisters do have a reaction when around people eating nuts. It has even happened in a crowded room before my sister even realized that someone was eating something with nuts nearby. I'm 100% sure that it does happen because I've seen it--it can be frustrating that there is very little support on this issue from the medical community and from allergy support groups. They've never had anaphylaxis from these types of reactions . . .and I don't think they would---but lip / mouth/ throat tingling, minor eczema break out, asthma.

Maybe the little girl had perfume/hairspray, etc. on, or if your son is allergic to animals, perhaps she had dander and/or animal hair on her? I know my son will get wheezy if someone around him is wearing perfume or strong scents or lives with animals he's allergic to? Just a thought.

I was thinking that maybe some peanut residue touched him, I don't think he has animal allergies but he is sensitive to cigarette smoke. He's still a bit raspy today and needed his inhaler today at the sitters.

It is sooo easy to get food on your clothes or wipe your hands on your shirt or jeans when you are eating. If the friend didn't wash her hands and face after eating and then touched your son I would say it is quite possible to have a topical reaction (hives) from just that hug. As for breathing problems, though, unless he got this residue directly in his eyes, nose or mouth, I don't know if this would be related to the hug or just being around peanut products. Can you ask your allergist about this situation?
Caroline

There is a link in the "allergies in the news" section - under "incredibly ignorant letter to..." about a child in Edmonton who had anaphylaxis after a child ate a peanut butter sandwich beside him. It does not say if the children had any physical contact, but it certainly reads as though just the smell was all it took.

I have always wanted to believe that kids couldn't react to just smell, as it would mean not worrying so much about casual contact.

My daughter is 2 years young. If she is in the room with a PB&J sandwich or if someone is eating a bag of trail mix, her breathing is noticably affected. Noted are wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. She's only two... she doesn't it's not a mental thing for her... it is purely physical.

The first one where I realized her discomfort was in a public nursing mothers' room. A woman with an apparent blood sugar problem opened her PB&J and my daughter started coughing and even when I immediately took her out of the room, continued coughing for 15 minutes.

One event happened when at a buffet. The baker was adding a tray of cookies to the buffet and taped the protective glass, knocking off two cookies. My daughter and I happened to be walking by when the cookie fell past her. My instinct was to catch it but then I pulled back, not wanting to contaminate my hands. My daughter, then barely two, started coughing and ran away. The smell scares her. If a restaurant makes her feel uneasy at all, she refuses to eat. At the buffet, which has peanuts at the salad end and of course the dessert end, we only eat and sit near the middle where she is content and comfortable.

She has a strong aversion to some people as well. There is no obvious rhyme or reason... some people she seems to be antisocial with (children also) and others she'll crawl up in their laps.

If I am unsure about a menu item at a restaurant, I have her smell my food. She tells me if it's okay or not and so far, she's been right.

Hi allerkid - it's good that you know how sensitive your child is, and that you are taking some precautions to keep her safe.

I should tell you, though, that buffets are considered to be really dangerous for people with life-threatening food allergies of any kind, including peanuts. There is such a high risk of cross contamination that it really isn't worth it.

Thank you KarenOASG for the advice. I do appreciate it. The entire 19 months that we've been living with her allergy has been a learning experience.

We have had a couple of experiences at the buffet. There are some buffets that have peanuts right in the middle of everything and the chances of cross-contanimation is understandably high and we do not go there. The buffet we go to on a regular basis has the peanuts at each end. I've found that if we avoid both those ends (seating & eating) my girl will eat heartily. If she senses danger, regardless of her hunger, she will refuse to eat. I never force her to eat because I can't sense what she senses and I figure I just need to trust her instinct. So far so good... I realize that anytime we leave the house her level of risk is higher but she will have to learn how to live with society as long as peanuts are a legal food substance. I will continue to learn with her. Thank goodness that she can smell the difference! Sometimes I wish I could sense it so I can better protect her.

Thank you again for your advice. I'm sure there will much more I will learn from these posts!

Learning the "rules" of anaphylaxis is a lengthy and at times, overwhelming process.

One thing that we have all had to learn about is the dangers of cross contamination. Cross contamination is when the allergen gets where it shouldn't be somewhere along the path it takes till you eat it. That is why eating out is challenging, bulk food bins are out, and why all the lables say "may contain traces of...", instead of just telling you if it does or if it doesn't.

The problem with buffets is that is impossible to know what the history of that food is, and we allergic parents really need to know that, or we are taking too big a risk. If you choose a perfectly safe carrot, you have no way of knowing that the tongs that you used to pick it up were moved from the area where the peanuts were by someone who came down the line and they may have some peanut on them. It may be an amount too small to see or smell, but it may be enough to cause a reaction.

Peanut allergies are treated really seriously in part because so little of the protein is needed to cause an anaphylactic reaction. PLEASE do not rely on your daughter smelling foods to tell if it is safe. I forget the stat., but when my son was your daughter's age I would go around in a daze thinking "1/7,000 (it's either 7,000 or 70,000) of a peanut can kill him." I read that somewhere and it stuck in my brain. I used it instead of coffee and uppers to keep myself awake .

I don't want to cause you anxiety...the good news it that this is completely manageable, and in time, it will come to feel normal, but it does mean re-thinking your life and making
some changes. Some of the changes will hurt, but in time you will stop missing whatever it is (for me it was peanut butter and chocolate ice cream).

The websites that Karen suggested are really helpful and explain what you need to do in detail.

Sorry if I sound preachy and know-it-all -y and not-what-you-wanted-to-hear-y. It's hard, but it gets easier.

Thank you all. The wealth of experience and information you have is what I am hoping for. I realize each person with allergies will be unique but overall there is much to gain from everyone. This is why I have joined this site. Before my daughter I did not know anyone with lifethreatening food allergies or really anything other than seasonal allergies.

I've known my 2 year 8 month old daughter had severe peanut allergy since she was 12 months. This week she was skin tested for other allergies. I expected them to be mostly environmental. A few weeks ago at the buffet she loves so much she said she wanted a shrimp. It was a small salad shrimp. I gave her one and instantly when she sunk her teeth in she spat it out and said "gross, that will make me sick". Sure enough, her skin test came back positive for shellfish, milk, corn, soy, horses (not cat/dog), 2 molds, ragweed & the tree mix #5 (neg for individual trees & the only unique tree in the mix not tested for individually was pecan). I was shocked.

Just when I've researched the peanut allergy to the hilt I have to start over with the others. The next day she had her first allergen free dinner and she excitedly said "woo-hoo! My food! Can I eat it all?" And she did. I hope that with a controlled diet she will have a happier and less frustrated life. She has days she doesn't feel good and stomach cramping. I didn't know why but now I have a better idea.

There are things she loves (ice cream) that I will have to find a substitute for. I think most allergens that she's eaten was because her older sister enjoys them (no food allergies) and figures she should as well.

I look forward to the research and everything I can gleen from the experience and knowledge of those in these forums. Please do not hesitate to give me friendly advice. I welcome it as it will give me a place to start or something to consider while our family lives with her allergies. Whatever it takes, it is worth it!

Since my last post, my daughter has developed an allergy to fish protein as well. It was from a can of sardines I was using to bait ferrel cats in the neighborhood so I do not know what other fish she may be allergic to so we are avoiding them all.

We haven't eaten at restaurants much since my last post. In June, my brother married and had a reception dinner at a local restaurant. He called ahead and spoke with management to get their take on food allergies and their response. He doesn't understand much about her food allergies but I have to say, I appreciated the effort he put forth. I followed up with the list of possible restaurants and felt most comfortable taking her to Longhorn Steakhouse. Listen to the extent they went to try to give my little one a healthy, safe meal: The day before the dinner, the on-duty manager called me to go over the severity of her allergies and what was required for her to be safe. Hours before the dinner, another on-duty manager called to ask what she wanted to eat. Since it had been months since we'd been there, I stated I could not remember what was offerened on the menu. She said 'forget about the menu' and asked what I would normally prepare her at home because they were sending someone to the store to buy her ingredients just for her. Longhorn Steakhouse had went to the local Target store and bought a brand new GRILL to prepare my daughter's meal and my own, knowing that it was important that my meal was also allergen-free. They sanitized and reserved a corner table all day just for us. Her meal consisted of fresh fruit (blueberries, pineapple & strawberries) for appetizer, fresh grilled chicken and fresh veggies for dinner and a surprise dessert of grape tomatoes (her favorite!) They put so much effort into providing her a safe, healthy meal and it was amazing. They made a point to check in with her often and told her that she was welcome anytime and that the same accommodations would be made for her each and every time she came and that the grill would be saved for her. I have shed tears of joy every time I have related this story.

A friend of ours went to Longhorn since and gave his personal thanks and commendation to the management. He said the managers he talked to began to cry. They had put their hearts into her meal. I had written letters of appreciation and thanks to all the local TV stations, and to their corporate offices as well as gave them all individual thanks for all their efforts. (I didn't tell them that she had a reaction anyway due to the shellfish in the environment but all in all, it was a wonderful experience for her to get to feel special and safe at the same time!)

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